When did you last walk out of a cinema hall feeling really happy? When did you last feel genuinely captivated by the story unfolding before you? When did you last see an old world romance on screen? When did the emotional portions of a movie gently tug your heart-strings? Well, if you are still racking your brains for an answer to any of the questions, then its time to watch one of the most delectable, subtle and yes truly beautiful love story to emerge from the Hindi film Industry in a long time.
Based on folklore from Rajasthan, Paheli is a surreal tale of mixed identities, complex emotions and passionate love. However, Paheli is essentially a story about ‘choices’. The groom (Shahrukh khan) choosing his business over his newly wed bride. The newly wed bride (Rani Mukherjee) choosing a ghost (again played by Shahrukh Khan) over her absent husband and the ghost choosing to reveal the truth about his true identity to Rani rather than deceiving her.
Amol Palekar, the director of the movie, expertly marries content with technical gloss in Paheli. The avant-garde film-maker has crafted a gem of a movie with its understated yet strong emotions. The pace of the movie is deliberately kept slow and languid by him to add to the dreamy feel of Paheli. He has extracted some exemplary performances from his stellar cast. Rani Mukherjee is in supreme form as an actress and Paheli is another feather in her cap. She looks bewitchingly beautiful as Lachi and executes a rather difficult role brilliantly. Be it her interactions with her husband on her wedding night or the first time she meets the ghost or the way she admonishes the ghost for behaving in a “ghostly” manner at a Camel race (one of the many highlights of the film), she is the soul of Paheli. Shahrukh Khan after Swades delivers another knock-out performance. He brings a lot of depth and understanding to the character(s) he portrays. He is especially very good as the Ghost where he uses his expressive eyes to convey an array of emotions. Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav, Dileep Prabhalkar and a host of other talented character actors lend some solid support to the enterprise. Juhi Chawla in a small but significant role shines. Big B in a crucial role is competent as usual.
Technically the film is brilliant. If you thought Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography in Black was spellbinding, wait till you watch Paheli. He literally paints the screen with his vivid colourful strokes. The most striking part about his work in this movie is that none of the images in the movie are of the picture postcard variety. They are everyday mundane scenes, yet framed with so much care that it seems surreal. The art direction too is superb blending beautifully with the story. Editing though could have been a little crisper.
Paheli might not boast of chartbuster music but M.M Kreem’s compositions are highly melodious and rooted in the Indian ragas, especially “Dheere jalna” and “Khaali hai tere bina”. The background score by Aadesh Srivastava is outstanding.
Paheli despite its mammoth cast, high production values and SRK might not turn into a blockbuster of the size of Veer-Zara but for connoisseurs of good cinema and in SRK’s oeuvre of work as producer and actor, Paheli will always be special and memorable.
Cheers!!!